My first thought on waking, was that I was happy. Not so much because I was living the life of a king (although I wasn't complaining about that), but because I had a reason for living: a mission. It was such a different feeling, having a purpose in life, to waiting around for the COVID restrictions to end. While Greyland was starting in a very difficult situation, I believed I could turn it around.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuogfNGTcIo
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hseletqWH
For a start, I had to ramp up iron production and correct my earlier mistake. As my first action, I assigned the realm's three iron ingots to the Smithy for more steel pickaxes.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWaYQPeSjQ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7TaORHNrr
Crucial to my success in this world would be my personal character progression. With some anxiety I called up my character sheet to see if I'd managed to improve it by my efforts of the previous day.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXokSOSn9OL
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9rDpKQZ48
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikYtpKe6Rk
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITe7l4ndi9
Str 7845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGX8Sc7EEu
Dex 4845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3ubOaZNf4
Con 8845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzIAFnkOeo
Int 16845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1avfMrc0hj
Wis 16845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7HNiV9JJj
Cha 4845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGQOIqLgdK
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjT2JHGRjR
Please choose a character archetype:845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDyq4HEGns
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4mV4T51jX
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjzs5bomKX
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONusg217Ly
Of course, neither my Strength of Constitution had shifted. I sighed to myself. How many more days of exercise would it take to test whether those stats would rise? Should I give it a week and then give in and choose a Wizard or Healer path? The people who had summoned me here wanted a battlefield leader and my own desire led me to want to be a martial class of some sort. But it would be idiotic to aim for that if I was stuck with these stats.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuI5yORqag
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CFNLPJyBJ
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucBTuPlEFZ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TkWU7hfmU
Stats could be worked on. A glow of pleasure rushed through me. Okay, so it wasn't a Fighter stat that had moved, but really, after one day, even if I had focused on Strength, I could hardly have expected to see progress. I had a hunch that the reason I'd seen Charisma move was that it was a lot easier to raise a 3 to a 4 than a 7 to an 8.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL6dSyaeG9
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nAsCOtadK
Following that last thought, I had to admit to myself that it might take months to move Strength to something useful in battle, but even so I decided to take the risk and commit to Fighter. It was time to get going. I missed being the most bad-ass warrior in Storm Wars and couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to be on top of the game be like in a world where it really mattered? Still, it was pointless, counterproductive even, to daydream. There was a mountain to climb. And I hadn't even taken one step yet towards the summit.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jdIaAEQkG
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s6vSmNb5O
I selected Fighter and got a message:845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AIwusVzNZ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQd3Ew5rEUq
Welcome Sean de Courcy, to the path of the Fighter. You have chosen to stand toe to toe with your foes, dealing blows to them and evading their own attempts to harm you. It is a path for the brave and for the resolute. If you are fortunate and progress, in due course you will unlock specialisations within the Fighter class.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokWvJyU9Po
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XLgIMWaSr
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmhixfww1p
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PvclXZN6F
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJtKQjAI3t
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyaHz7dAdI
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcHNsVoliU
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBmcU4SFQR
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eEe3ncZA5
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIG9SfziAIn
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhosSejS7T
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYI1oAhlODx
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTm97AuCilf
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU0Fc7Tamn
Quite a lot to think about there. And I had to make my choice right away, as the screen couldn't be flicked away in the usual fashion. Generally, I preferred a min-max approach to RPG gaming. It was usually better to be really good at one skill and adapt your strategy to that skill than to have no particular specialism and be somewhat competent at everything. Ideally, I would have had a taste of fighting before make my choice, so as to get a feel for what would be the best skill to invest in. Here, though, there was going to be a lot of guesswork.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Uy9Ki0op9
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen16AefO9l
On the assumption I'd have the support of the high level people who had summoned me, I decided I should focus on attack rather than defence. Back in Storm Wars defence was crucial but here, at the low levels at least, I felt it best to try to rack up experience fast through killing mobs. Lunge appealed most, surely an extra attack and a bit more range on an attack was going to prove useful? When I tried to put my ten points into the skill, however, I got a message.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwOv45kihh
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp62Dh4Gyq
Skills are capped at Level x 5845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDaqvwzB2A
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC03x7tTGK
Adding 5 points to Lunge worked. So for my other choice? Was I going to use a shield? Probably but not necessarily. I didn't know what weapons were going to be available to me here. Parry then. While Quick draw had its appeal, it was very situational. Whereas pretty much every fight I was in would involve the opportunity to parry.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlvENzDrR1
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmk21SCWX5
My character sheet now had my class and skills, also, an EXP bar, showing that I needed 100 to get to Level 2 and HP. I had hit points! Not many though. And an armour class that at 0 probably reflected the fact that I had no armour on at all. Even if I did, that poor Dexterity score probably carried a penalty.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0tHrcOU30
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrcaEgp5s8
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHEqKnRVKM
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkeJG9opIu
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGzqjEnKVj
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnlCfB5dgQ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp3stdhaoK
Str 7845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhIoffb5Mo
Dex 4845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9NXfYqY55
Con 8845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUhq9i5Qsy
Int 16845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPbz7lpE3F
Wis 16845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQO18RaD35
Cha 4845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4MEPXv71R
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCCkgRyy7j
Lunge 5845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsFBPXCrju
Parry 5845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRslbHhw6Q
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEwHESaiqm
Exp 5/100845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgatultua3o
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TrsR4X5cM
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbW0bH67IZA
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2PE8a1byK
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNDeN3MDDC
If it wasn't for my heavy body, I'd have leapt out of bed with a spring in my step and an eager desire to get going. As it was, I had to lever myself up and then struggle with every single garment before managing to get dressed. It didn't help that I ached all over from yesterday's marching around the barracks square. At last, I was presentable and down I went to breakfast.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeDZ4f4bhv
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqs47HevVp
Today, the castle servants were ready for me and along with a glass of apple juice was a bowl with more apples and a plate with two poached eggs. I felt desperately hungry and was tempted, when a new servant tentatively approached, to ask for more. But I had to get down to a size where armour could fit me and a horse could carry me. So I had to diet. End of. Back home, I had sometimes tried to cut out unhealthy snacks, and managed for a while, before invariably returning to them and sometimes bingeing while hooked up to Storm Wars. Here, I felt differently. Here, getting the king's body into shape was just as important as levelling up and sorting out Greyland's food supply. There was no 'Will I? Won't I?' discussion to be had with myself. It had to be done.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8GQazhXPO
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw0Rmq1Mo8
After breakfast, I left the keep and walked slowly in the direction of the barracks. The citizens of the town hurried away from me or redoubled their efforts if they were working. For the first time, I noticed that stored away in the shadowy corner of a large cobbled square was a gibbet and a chopping block. Had my predecessor really executed people by hanging and beheadings? It was not a question I could ask anyone except one of the three who had been there at the summoning.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNkwrV4X6c
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MAe7iKC2b
The soldiers were already drilling when I got to the barracks and I was pleased to see archers firing at straw scarecrows. Thirteen, fourteen… yet fifteen. Those were my new recruits. It might have been a dumb move using up all my iron before the steel pickaxes were completed but I was glad to see the archers all the same.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupM6pN5UJQ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuSZcOHpxK
Carradock was there, marching some foot soldiers back and forth. He passed the duty to one of the men and came over at a brisk walk on seeing me.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWHTzTcHRJ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWppSutQdZi
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftn7rJQLbC
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJugmAAFFd
'Stiff, but yes.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aBc3Gv6Ai
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlc72dngIE
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKajZeUaPIc
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO41AKfIkol
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRG5m5N5kE
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlh1Iqbhi3J
He looked at me expectantly.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnv677FAiI
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELwWkjm2xG
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBkRTAnlSc
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvz3HITV7rv
Surprise, then caution crossed the trainer's face. 'Not I sire. Skills like what you're talking about are special. You need to talk to someone like Lord Arval.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YmpbYy0wn
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtgkplzw76
'Good idea. Send someone to fetch him will you.' As was my nature, I almost added 'please', but no doubt that would be taking my change in character too far.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZT4JnChCZ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOEi5oLe9x
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAQMelaVkk
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtB86feWvul
'Two questions.' I already felt the need to be economical with my breath. 'Active skills like Lunge, how do I use them? And what's the quickest way for me to level up? Got some giant bats I can kill?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFlk0noV4C
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYZj1lUa3a
'Skills? You'll see them as selectable icons when the right conditions are met. I mean when timers are ready; or the right weapon is in hand; or you've moved yourself into the right position. Skills are very experiential. You get to discover them and advance them mostly by practice.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGoHjCwZJi
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3097Fzy4h
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsmqZvpfVi
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmcUOiZC1K
Lord Arval kept pace effortlessly. 'For levelling up, I think quests. Without access to the menus I can't be exact, but I felt that just by performing chores for the townspeople I became significantly stronger. Perhaps reaching level three or four.' He gave me a sharp look. 'It helps with your reputation with them too.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtolSxe55v9
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRrrCZoJ2u
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnnOkoQfC6
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16r3aIBlbv
First checking no one was close enough to overhear us, Lord Arval leaned closer and dropped his voice. 'I'd never disagree with a command of yours, but I was intending to take the new archers down to Three-Ways Fort and check on our defences. I could ask Carlena to show you the easiest town quests?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LGrzQxQpZ
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZFBcchI9S
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG3gGTeJnu
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN5IQRnKTC
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MKq6sOi78
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKga6R1a6L6
The laps today were a little easier and even a soft rain didn't deter me. Walking was good for studying the menus too and I drilled down into the kingdom's various options, reading up on descriptions of buildings and balancing their various benefits against the immediate need to solve our food problem and be able to resist an attack if Southway and Trolland continued their alliance.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCic9mlXJR
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡud1hGKLOAf
After I finally completed my sixty laps, I took a salute from Carradock and went back to the keep for a bath and change of clothes. Then I sat in the very large throne in the large hall on the second floor, the solar they called it. Outside, beyond the lead crosses that contained the window glass, the day was still grey. I could have rested there, alone, for some time, but Carlena arrived and waving away the servants who had brought her to me, came over.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29aTDIQjri
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7QaPlrBra
'You wanted me to help with quests?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHKfYCLs5c
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE07iCGPukh
'Yes please. I've started as a Fighter but, honestly, I'm not in the shape to hit things yet. So quests are perfect. And Lord Arval said they would level me fast.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ENgLZMgt7
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2V5Tbf3V3c
'Yes, they will. At least, they got me to my third spell. After that, you'll need to battle monsters. Also, your combat skills won't increase unless you do.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5nozcnvWB
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pAo947ETy
'Right so, let's go and do some quests.' It was painful, moving again after being seated for a while. But pain meant gain, right? And I had the incentive of levelling up to encourage me.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcN59Llc0W
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6J8Fmive1
'It's been a while since I did these…' She looked thoughtful, long, silver hair tied back so I could see her severe face clearly. 'And try to be more like King Carlos. Everyone is talking about you. About how you've changed.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaUwufxjCi
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95R4R0zoXS
'He was a thug, right?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaY09P5s7m
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnzLl1bKvM
'More of a sly creature, like a fox. Watching and waiting … then punishing. Never trusting anyone. You didn't know where you were with him. Not even me, who – forgive the lack of modesty – is the most important person in the kingdom. There was a time when I thought he was going to hang me for treason. Even though that would mean no sorcerer for our battles.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvVLHVekKn
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGF6q6TOHK
Having reached the large, double doors Carlena went silent and waited for me to lead her out. From just behind my right shoulder, she muttered directions as we walked down narrow cobbled streets until we came to a bakery.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1v8QxgE6T
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBYRBsgrDl
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28P1EyUzhB
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJSs2zEyS1
I barged in, under the swinging sign of a loaf of bread. My bulky body made a small room feel even smaller: counter with several loaves; bare planks for floors; whitewashed walls; back room with an aroma of newly baked bread that made my mouth water.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXitNWtXxrS
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNbWkCvjT3
A boy, about ten years old, was sweeping dust. His mouth dropped open. A thin woman behind the counter looked at me with pure horror, then said quietly, 'Miya bless me!'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoap2BFVHwX
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkyix4pN8b
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53pPbIxFtH
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblQXX0XSF0
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYW8GWh8Gx
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaW2QY4b42
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerfkYAcDw3
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsk3xtjfFn
Feeling impatient, I tried to strum my thick fingers on the wooden counter top, but couldn't, they just thumped down in a group. My crappy Dexterity? Or simply lack of practice with this body?845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡey2Fl185nD
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUh8qFHOuJP
At last the guards returned, holding the woman between them. She was clearly terrified and I would have said something comforting, except that Carlena wanted me to stay in character.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bVcFq9HEv
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcu68nSaID
'You have a task?' I asked.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKF79ejAEs7
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RbVEnoSxq
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrV9nVgiObM
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8DJfBk19Q
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWuMbBSePF
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GC2lxpr1s
'Give it to me again.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCkGEZC8eA
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSW0drO6chE
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iMmFH3DE3
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNXE604cDQ
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3pCIhR9OR
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvvVhopkFM
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGXPBBAgQ7
845Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7bA6xghRw
Exasperated and not wanting to cause the baker to suffer any further, I strode back outside, took a second to orientate myself, and set off back toward the keep. Levelling up was going to require a rethink.
and then Add to home screen.